Why would a parent do anything other than let their kid figure things out? All it takes is a strong conviction on the part of the parents to ignore the sad, tragic sounding cries of "I can't do it!" and "See, I told you I couldn't do it." The only response I give is "Keep trying and you'll get it."

Kids do not learn self-responsibility if they are never allowed to see consquene of their action by you protecting them from everything uder the sun, a scrape here or there is more helpful then to never have that happen and when they get on latter in life and find out, mommy or dad are not going to be there all the time and they must make the smart choice.

It didn't say how old the child was. There is such a thing as gross motor ability and if they are too young to have a solid gross motor capability then they would not be able to get up the ladder nor down the slide safely. In this case I would say depending upon on old the child is and his or her capabilities. If you are talking a two year old child, most times they will need some support getting up the ladder and staying upright as they come down the slide....two and half and up is usually the time they are capable....so bottom line depending upon their physical capabilities i believe in helping a child if it is needed to insure safety while they are physically developing, otherwise let them do it on their own.

Knowing how much mothers protection to apply is a task. If you want your kids to be innovative, they have to learn methods to overcome obstacles . As they observe other children enjoying an activity they watch/learn . This mother seems to be protective but with hands off unless needed. I think her kids will be better equip to deal with Lives trials an tribulations . Self confidence has to be accompanied with knowledge of the consequences in failure.

I believe there is a time and place for everything!! And I agree with this woman!!! When my daughter started girl scouts it was awful! She wanted to refuse to go however after that first session she was hooked!! Thank goodness!! By doing and facing fears she learned so much!!!

The Lesson of the Butterfly
THE LESSON OF THE BUTTERFLY
by PAULO COELHO on DECEMBER 10, 2007

A man spent hours watching a butterfly struggling to emerge from its cocoon. It managed to make a small hole, but its body was too large to get through it. After a long struggle, it appeared to be exhausted and remained absolutely still.

The man decided to help the butterfly and, with a pair of scissors, he cut open the cocoon, thus releasing the butterfly. However, the butterfly’s body was very small and wrinkled and its wings were all crumpled.

The man continued to watch, hoping that, at any moment, the butterfly would open its wings and fly away. Nothing happened; in fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its brief life dragging around its shrunken body and shrivelled wings, incapable of flight.

What the man – out of kindness and his eagerness to help – had failed to understand was that the tight cocoon and the efforts that the butterfly had to make in order to squeeze out of that tiny hole were Nature’s way of training the butterfly and of strengthening its wings.

Sometimes, a little extra effort is precisely what prepares us for the next obstacle to be faced. Anyone who refuses to make that effort, or gets the wrong sort of help, is left unprepared to fight the next battle and never manages to fly off to their destiny.

(Adapted from a story sent in by Sonaira D’Avila)

This is stupid. I watched a 3 year old climb the huge metal slid at braga park one afternoon. I said to the parent "hey you kid is climbing the big slide" she replied as she looked up from her blackberry " we'll if she falls she will learn her lesson" I just rolled my eyes and watched with fear. Two seconds later the lil girl made it to the top and stood up. She then lost her balance and fell the 10 feet to the ground. She landed on the back of her neck. Wow, the mother came running over with years in her eyes. I held the lil girls head still waiting for the ambulance to show. She ended up cracking two bones in her neck. Now if the mother did her job and looked out for the child this wouldn't have happened

Didn't take long for this whole thing to get ruined, by subject matter from both sides....this is exactly the reason that one should be able to read and not pass comment on these blogs, Opinions are the rear-ends, everyone has one, but some talk from it!

Seems all the comments are on the subject at hand. Just some asses are bigger than others. Exaggeration is always part of discussions when one is trying to make a point. It has to be believable .

Kate Baker's essay (if you click the link) was awesome. I don't think there is a blue collar worker who grew up in the New England area would have never experienced this on the receiving side or parenting side..nice job.

Some 65 years ago, I, at age 5-6, was kicked out of the house in the morning and told to be back when the streetlights came on. I grew up beside the tracks and the Cove. There was no part of town we didn't cover in an average day. Other than stopping by the house at noon for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I was exploring the world with my friends. For the most part, we all survived childhood. It's adulthood that's the problem.

I once read about a blind woman who never learned how to open a bottle because her parents were too over-protective! ALL children need to learn independence!

I agree dont help any kid. Let them learn everything on their own.First thing we can do is close the schools down. they can teach themselves.When its time to drive, give them the keys to the car and leave them on route 95. Ihave a hundred more ideas for children to learn on their own, for all the ignorant parents out there.Lets just make a little harder for childrens life to get by.Oh one more thought, if a pitbull is loose on the street, don't protect that kid getting bit. The child will learn real fast to run next time.

Mother of the year Russell .

There was a famous cover of a New York magazine many years ago. In a walkway in front of a huge mansion, a richly dressed and fur clad matron was pushing an adolescent (late teen) hippie son in a wheelchair.
The caption read, 'Of course he can walk. Thank God he doesn't have to!'

Which about sums it up, and explains why I agree wholeheartedly with this blog. Young people SHOULD have to struggle to achieve, and sometimes be allowed to fail. They will be much better for it.

One time back in the 1970's I slid down a metal slide near Gilbert Stuart Middle School in Providence on a hot summers' day...boy did that burn my ass.

To Anne, the child in the CA story is young...I am on the side of the blogger....
One of the problems with today's kids and that they are too heavily relying upon their parents to do almost everything for them, and in turn never have to work towards - getting along with others, earning what they want, pushing themselves past their fears i.e. afraid to climb the ladder of a slide because they think its too high...We shouldn't stop them from trying to meet each challenge they face daily.
I know several parents in the City of Woonsocket who have trouble and chaos because they don't let their children just be kids...don't go up the slide its too high, don't try and jump off the swing you can break your leg...really? Several of these kids are now 10 and 11 years old and are wearing pull-ups because they don't want to "push" their children to toilet themselves.. Lighten up its called childhood and they all need one!

To job seeker..Clearly you are not reading and comprehending what I have said. First of all I am a teacher and I am painfully aware of how some of today's parents baby their children and hinder them from any potential they may have in any area of life. I have seen more than I care to see. The thing is we were talking about a slide...and it went to much much more...let's stay on topic shall we? I mentioned fine and gross motor capabilities. These capabilities vary from child to child. If you were to allow a year old baby who just started to walk to climb a ten foot ladder to slide down a slide...then that my friend will be murder..because they child is not capable of climbing that slide safely so we have to guide that child so that he may be safe. Childhood is trying, failing, succeeding and learning safely. To make a blanket statement about a child climbing a ladder on a slide is ridiculous...to take this whole blog to the levels you and others have taken it is ridiculous.....I have seen many parents as I have stated who over protect and I have seen MANY MORE who NEGLECT...I would take the over protecting parent over the neglectful or abusive one any day of the week.

Quite on the contrary Anne, my children were riding two-wheeled bicycles, climbing trees, building tree forts since the age of 12 months...I have raised 4 fearless children,which were all speaking full on sentences, walking and potty trained fully all before 12 months old...My oldest graduated early and now works for one of the US Embassy's overseas...

@ Anne you used the word murder....and asked if I took it too far?

Job seeker...is your nose growing??? 12 months old riding a two wheeler..physically IMPOSSIBLE... Fully potty trained and talking full sentences before age 12 months?? LOLOL...ok....I think if I believe that I believe in Jack and the beanstalk too LOL

oh and building tree forts and climbing them at 12 months..what did you have monkeys?? LOL

Thanks so much for sharing that insightful article CG.

First of all Job seeker..perhaps you should use your time to actually seek and get a job. Second of all I am not from Johnston and you do know what ASSume does...and third of all it is physically impossible for a 12 month old child to balance on a two wheeler..........So stop sounding so utterly ridiculous and admit that you exaggerated grossly just to prove a point. Well point was not proven and your exaggeration was laughable.

A 12 month old on a two wheel bike? Maybe it has been so long that you're forgetting the age when these milestones actually happened?